The specifics of the new invention are related to the fixture which is used to lift hot glass bottles from the forming molds and carry them to the cooling table. Past technology has utilized a metallic takeout holder and a nonmetallic insert specially adapted to contact the bottle and carry it to the cooling table.
In the forming and processing of hot glass shapes into bottles, these bottles are susceptible to being damaged by the processing equipment. Most of the processing equipment used in the manufacturing of hot glass products is fabricated from metallic materials such as brass, stainless steel, and other alloys. It is understood that the actual contact point of the holder to the hot glass bottle is benefited by use of nonmetallic material such as is asbestos, carbon fiber, and graphite.
In the manufacturing of glass bottles, the manufacturing equipment uses a fixture referred to as a bottle takeout “holder”. This holder lifts and carries the newly formed hot bottles to a cooling table, before they proceed to an annealing furnace. Today's takeout holder's are fabricated from metallic materials such as steel, stainless steel, or brass with a separate, nonmetallic insert, which comes in direct contact with each bottle. This decreases the chances of checking or cracking due to localized heat transfer or thermal shock.
The most successful material used with the prior takeout holder insert is graphite, although it has the drawback of its high-cost in manufacturing from a raw billet. One disadvantage is the significant wear observed at the point where the two materials are joined, due to movement between the soft nonmetallic insert and the hard abrasive metallic holder. Spring clips are used to hold movement to a minimum. Spring clips fatigue and the inserts fall-out of the takeout holder. Further, spring clips allow wear between the holder and the insert due to the movement in high production bottling operations. Still another disadvantage is chipping, cracking and oxidation of the graphite inserts, which affect service life, and require more maintenance. The new product of this invention will all but eliminate chipping, cracking, and oxidation in this case.